Safety signal



Aug 19,1930. T. E. COLLINS 1,773,346

SAFETY SIGNAL Filed oct. 1o, 1927 ,n il. 111, Inn

Patented Aug. 19, 1930 THOMAS E, COLLINS, or' sr. tours, ivrrssonm.

. s'iiiiiilrv sIGNALf Application med ,october 1o, 1927. saisine., sesgos?.

f This. invention relates'to new Vand useful improvements insafety signal devices ofthe type used onobjects projecting beyond the' vehicle and also to mark road barriers, ex- `5 cavations ory other dangerousv locations, or

road vdetour signs vand the like.

l Most cities require suitable safety or danger signals on all objects projecting adeinite distance from trucks and on allk obstructions located onl public highways. Excavations', lroadbarriers, and other unsafe places have to be suitably niarked'fto `callthe attention of pedestrians and drivers'` to the dangerous locations.v The laws ycovering the use of these -a predetermined area, in m'ostcases of red color, andspecify that such signalsmustbe displayedv in aprominent manner.

Heret'ofore, itv has been customary to'use apiece of textilef materialof proper size and 'color and tied i-naposition inl a suitable `mannerf.. This has been found highly 'unsatisfactory as the fabric becomes readilylsoiled and misplaced, when not in'zuse, andy as it is usuallysupported ata single point doesvnot present-L to view the full area of the signal. i

rvIn some cases signals formedl of sheet metal of. the Arequired .dimensions have beenyused but thesev were found dangerous for thereasonthat they are too heavy and easily become vdisplaced and'v cause injury to'the'workingma-nor persons standing nearby v Furthermore, in some instances personswere cut by the sharp edges ofk such signals, whenV the latter'were suspended from vehicles.

Itisthe object of the presentinvention l.to provide a safety signal .which is ofl lightl weighacan. be economically,manufactured andl which 1s so constructed astoretainiits shape, present its entire areai'toV theY view underall weather conditions, therebyrafording;v maximum. protection. L.

Other'y objects: ofthe invention are to provide afsignalf' of the class described which is formed; ofgmaterial which.r may be readily folded, when notin use, soas to occupy minij mum space and which is formed'watereproof vsothat itwwill retain'its color vand shape in "all weather.: f Stillothenobjects'of they invention areto spicu'ou'sandl'can be usedrelfecti-vely at night,

signals usually require such signals to' bel ofy spectively,

Yprovide a signalfofk the class-described which does not have 'sharp corners `or edges thereby eliminating 'dangerjof injury to persons, whichis `so reenfor'ced to retain its shape when in use and lallow folding thereof-*When not in'use'. w k,Further `objects ofthe 4inventionlare to forni the surfaces'fof the sign-al' glazed, or enameled, 4so thatthe lightraysare reflected thereby and said sgnalcis rendered more conaswell as in daytime, the'light rays ofIV the headl'a'mpsl of "automobiles being yreiiectedi by Y suelr glazed surfaces vat appropriate distances to provrdei'amplewarning to the driver. f f

these andotherobjects in@ viewfmy invention consists incertain novel features and arrangements oflparts hereinafter more fully described, claimed and" illustratedin which'-L v70 Figure 1 is a front elevational viewof the signalsk J .Figure 2 isa side elevational view 'of same.

. Figure 3 is an enlargeddetaifview 'partly broken avvayofone corner. 'ofthe-signal'.y V` -75 Figure 41s a'verti'cal cross section taken on lined- 4 of Figure Figure 'isadetail cro'ssse'ction offthemodiled form offmy 'signal'. f f

f Referring by numerals tothe -accompany- 80 ing. drawings 10j indicates a ysignal formed of a sheet of textile material of suitablel'si'ze and shape and preferably linishedfin redcolor and -water-proofedl 'In' the v construction shown' in Figures l to t this signalcompri'ses two sheets '10*L and 1()b arranged in juxtaposed "relation and KTsewed ntogether along thejedges as indicated: at 11.1.1 A-tape l2 kmay beguse'd'to reenforce saidfedges.' vThe corners `are pref- Verably'rounded as. indicated at 13`-so as to avoid sharp projections and preventv acciden- ,tal injury to persons standing close to the signal. The top and bottonilli and 15, re-

ofJsignal 10, are provided with Q5 pockets 16 in whichrv are disposed sections of stiffening material'` preferably in the form of flat iron bars 17. yThese barsserveto hold thesignalfin fully extendedposition an'dprovider suitable weight whereby said? signal 220 -deirable information. W'hen the signal is used to mark dangerous or a detour signal, the color occupies at all times vsubstantially vertical position.

The ends'of these bars preferably terminate short of corners 13 as indicated at 18 in order to eliminate rigid corners so that all surfaces and increasing the visibility, of the` signal. This feature is particularly desirable where the signal is used at night asthe glazed surfaces will reflect the light rays of the automobile headlights and provide ampleV warning tothe driver of the approaching vehicle. Sheets 10a and 10b being water-proof are ynot affected by the water thereby prolongingthe life and usefulness of the signal.

One of the bars 17 located in the top portion 14 is'pierced as indicated at 20 preferably at a point equi-distant from its ends for the reception of suitable attaching devices 21 by means of which said signal can be readily attached in position. In the present instance this device consists of. a ring 22 passing throughV said aperture and through aligned apertures formed in sheets 10a and 10b anda suitable loop member 24 engaging said ring and having a portion adapted to detachably engage a suitable support.

In Figures 1 to 4 a signal is shown having a double thickness of material and finished with highly reflecting surfaces to cause reflection of light raysV emanating from headlights of approaching vehicles. However in some instances it may-"be desirable to use a signal which is transparent or translucent so that a lamp placed behind the signal will render such signal readily visible at night. As shown in Figure 5, this signal 27 comprises a sheet 28 of appropriate color and formed transparent to enable the passage of light rays therethrough. Each horizontal edge is reenforced with a bar 29 which is held in position by folding'the edgeY as at 30 and sewing it as indicated at 31.

'The reenforcing members 17 and 29 may be `.of any size or shape or cross section and of othersubstances than that herein specified. The signal may have printed'thereon any suitable warning signal orother legend, and in addition. give the address and business of the owner or manufacturer, orV certain .other places, the color customarily used is red. VVherethe signal is to be used asa road mark, may be yellow or any other color generally used in that particular locality. My improved signal is compact and of light weight, can be economically manufactured,

reflecting reflecting Yand enclosing all of the Yentirely enclosed by said and is so made that it will retain under all conditions.

Obviously, various changes can be made in my signal without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. Ar signal of the class described comprising a sheet of water-proof textile material, horizontally disposed members secured to the top and bottom ofsaid sheet for reenforcing the same, said reenforcing members being its shape `spaced from the edges of said sheet and the corners of said sheet being rounded and means secured to the topportion of said sheet for detachably supporting said signal in position. i 2. A signal of the class described comprising a flat member formed of textile material having glazed surfaces for reflecting light rays, horizontally disposed rigid bars secured to the top and bottom of said member for reenforcing the same and maintaining it in fully extended position, the ends of said rigid members terminating short of the vertical edges of said sheet and the corners being rounded to eliminate sharp and rigid corners andv edges and means secured to one of said rigid members for suspending said signal.

3. A signal of the class described comprising a pair of sheets of textile material arranged in juxtaposed relation and sewed togethed along their edges, elongated pockets formed in the top and bottom portions of said combined sheets, sections of flat metallic bars inserted in saidpockets and terminating short of the vertical edges of said sheets, thereby reenforc'ing said sheets at top and bottom, the outer surfaces of said sheets being nished to provide reflecting surfaces, and means for detachably suspending said signal in position.

4. A signal of the class described compris` ing in combination a sheet of fabric having its surfaces treated to provide a water-proof enamel finish of suitable color and of highlyquality, signal characters arranged on said surfaces in contrasting color and havingv a dull finish, and binding materialsecured to all `of the edges of said sheet for reinforcing the same. Y

5. A signal of the class described comprising in combination a sheet of fabric having its surfaces'treated to provide a water-proof enamel finish of suitable color and of highlyqualities, signal characters arrangedon said surfaces in contrasting color and having a dull finish, binding attached to edges of said sheet for reinforcing the same, and means in the upper end 'of said sheet for detachably attaching said signal in position. A signa-l of the-class described comprislng in combination a pair of sheets of fabric arranged in juxtaposed relation, means secured to and reinforcing all of the edges of said sheets, means disposed between and sheets for reinforcing the same, the outer surfaces of said sheets being treated to provide aWater-pl'oof enamel inish of suitable color and of highly reflecting qualities, signal characters painted on said surfaces in contrasting color and having a dull finish so as toy differentiate said signal characters from said enamel reflecting snraees.

In testimony WhereofvI hereunto aix my signature this 18th day of July, 1927.

. THOMAS E. COLLINS. 

